BY COLLEEN LUTOLF
Staff Writer
MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Dr. Ira Feldman, attends to Cheyene Cleary, 4, Woodbridge, at the Give Kids a Smile dental program at Middlesex County College in Edison last week.
EDISON — Mention a trip to the dentist to most kids and you won’t usually receive a smile.
But for children without dental insurance, they don’t have to worry about even visiting the dentist because their parents can’t afford one.
That’s why the American Dental Association, the New Jersey Dental Association and Crest toothpaste participated in Give Kids a Smile, a state-wide program that allows children without dental insurance a free visit with the dentist and dental hygienists.
"There were 13 sites in the state and we were one of them," said C. Merry LaBlond, Chairperson of the Department of Dental Auxiliaries Education at Middlesex County College.
The school offers a two-year dental hygienist program, LaBlond said. Students in the program graduate with an associate’s degree and a license to be a practicing dental hygienist.
The county college site had one volunteer dentist and dental hygienists from the senior class and some from the freshman class who volunteered last Wednesday at the one-day annual event.
"We had about 145 children come through for dental health education, teeth cleaning, x-rays, fluoride treatments and sealants," LaBlond said.
Some of the children, who came from day care centers beyond county lines, local children and kids from the Hope Academy in Asbury Park, even received emergency tooth extractions.
"Everyone was smiling that day," LaBlond said, "except the one or two kids who had a couple of tears when they had a tooth pulled."
"We had a lot of fun," she said. "One of the [dental hygiene] students was dressed as a tooth, we played games. We did a lot of things."
LaBlond said this was the second year of the program, but the first time that Middlesex County College participated.
"I’m sure we’re going to do it again next year," she said. "It’s a great opportunity to further serve the people of the community."